Thursday, September 30, 2010

In a meeting lasting almost an hour, 3 Vancouver council members settled on a recommendation of fellow council member Jeanne Harris, receive a letter of reprimand and be removed from all boards she currently sit on, representing the city council and that they appointed her to, for her disrespectful behavior displayed September 13, 2010. VIDEO

Boards she sits on where she received a gubernatorial appointment (CRC) are not affected as it was felt they are outside the scope of the city council.

It was determined early on, with advice from city attorney Ted Gathe, that Harris' disrespectful interaction with citizens is not covered by the current ethics policy. Councilman Burkman recommended council revisit it to update the ethics policy to include how members of the public are treated.

Council members stated they felt her actions the evening of September 13 were "demeaning," "disturbing" and "highly inappropriate," towards Mayor Leavitt and Council member Jeanne E. Stewart.

Removal from office was also ruled out early as the threshold for such action was not met, Gathe advised. He stated to reach that high threshold would take something along the lines of committing an actual crime.

The panel broke it down to 4 areas of concern, 1: Her conduct towards the public, which is not addressed by current policy. 2: Her conduct towards Jeanne Stewart during the meeting deemed inappropriate. 3: Her interference with the Mayors duty in conducting the meeting deemed inappropriate. 4: Her confrontation with Jeanne Stewart after the meeting also deemed inappropriate.

Discussion fell onto whether she should receive a letter of reprimand or a censure and it was determined there was not a lot of difference between the two. A letter of reprimand was deemed appropriate. Mayor Pro Tem Larry Smith stated he wanted more than just a "slap on the wrist" and Pat Campbell added he too wanted to give the letter "some teeth" behind it.

Jack Burkman said there few sanctions available they could use and then it was decided they would recommend she be removed from all boards she was appointed to by the council until she is up for reelection in 2013.

If the full council votes to accept the panel’s recommendation, it would be effective immediately.

Pat Campbell added that citizens should "stay tuned" and follow her for when she is up for reelection, as he felt that her conduct is not a matter for recall.

The panel hopes to wrap it up at the October 11 council meeting.

The Columbian's Andrea Damewood published her take HERE with more to come in Friday's paper.

"Despite a string of legislative successes, Mr Obama has failed to make voters believe that he has helped them, or that he cares more about their jobs and savings than about a long-standing Democratic agenda of health care and enforcing greener energy use on industry. Although he has passed major financial reforms, his economic team has been deemed too close to Wall Street and too protective of the mega-bonus culture."
"There is a view that the elation of becoming the first black president and the euphoria that accompanied his inauguration helped create a degree of arrogance in the White House that has led the President and his advisers to blame the media, or Republicans, for what the electorate is really thinking."

"The president can't stop blaming George W Bush for anything that goes wrong but it will be the current rather than the former president who Democrats will take to task after November."
"Obama scarcely helped himself this week when he responded in a CNBC "town hall" event to a black woman who said she was 'exhausted of defending you' by prefacing his answer with 'as I said before' – code for 'you're clearly too dumb to have understood me the first time'."

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

“With this document, we pledge to dedicate ourselves to the task of reconnecting our highest aspirations to the permanent truths of our founding by keeping faith with the values our nation was founded on, the principles we stand for, and the priorities of our people”

Part of what the Republicans are pledging to America to do;

Jobs:

- Stop job-killing tax hikes

- Allow small businesses to take a tax deduction equal to 20 percent of their income

- Require congressional approval for any new federal regulation that would add to the deficit

- Repeal small business mandates in the new health care law.

Cutting Spending:

- Repeal and Replace health care

- Roll back non-discretionary spending to 2008 levels before TARP and stimulus (will save $100 billion in first year alone)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Economists might come out now and try to fool the American public that the “Great Recession” ended over a year ago, but with some of the highest unemployment seen in my lifetime, it is obvious we are anything but recovered.

Politicians running to stay in office or challengers wishing to replace them are all speaking of jobs, but what is actually being done? Not much, other than calls from conservatives to get government out of the way to let private industry create much needed jobs.

Industry is ready to create jobs for us and have been blocked by government, especially when it comes to hundreds of thousands of jobs in the petroleum industry and millions more related in supportive industries.

In spite of all of the calls to do away with petroleum right now from wacko environmentalists and other leftist kooks, we remain heavily dependent upon petroleum for energy needs and much more. Alternative fuels just haven’t yet been perfected to supply our needs in as economical a manner as does petroleum.

And still, government continues to turn a blind eye not only to our energy needs, but to the critical need of putting Americans back to work.

The American Petroleum Institute recently took a “bull by the horns” attitude and carried out a series of Rallies for Jobs in several states concerned over lost jobs by petroleum drilling moratoriums and drilling bans.

While primarily directed at jobs drilling for oil, it cannot be forgotten that several other job creating industries benefit from getting our petroleum industries back to work. Auto mechanics, restaurants, auto supplies, clothing manufacturers, you name it. Almost all industry somehow benefits when we have the petroleum industry working, either directly or indirectly in some supportive capacity.

Several people were able to attend and speak out for jobs at the rallies, but they were unable to be in every city. To that end, the American Petroleum Institute has now began the National Virtual Rally for Jobs where you are invited to stop by and leave a short message on why jobs are so important to us.

You do not need to be directly connected to the oil and gas industry as increased jobs in that sector can only spread to increased jobs in other sectors in support of them and begin getting us back to work, earning decent salaries to feed, clothe and care for our families.

Along with us returning to work comes revenue growth to the treasury to fund the current bills government is raising taxes to pay for, eliminating the need to raise taxes, which ends up only costing more jobs to disappear.

The demonizing of the oil and gas industry and subsequent lost jobs, numbering hundred of thousands, if not millions is getting old. So called “Green Energy” is years away from being perfected into a substantial alternative and even then, it ends up eliminating more jobs than it save, as has been discovered by Spain when they commissioned a study and discovered they were losing two jobs to every one being created.

Bottom line, we need jobs. We cannot afford to have so many people jobless for so long with no plans to allow the private sector to create them. Without those private sector jobs, the jobs government speaks of to rebuild infrastructure cannot be paid for. Tax dollars must be brought in to pay for those and those taxes must come from the private sector if they are to be paid for.

Visit the the National Virtual Rally for Jobs and leave your message telling government, regardless of which party, we are fed up with being out of work. We do not want hand outs, just the ability to work to care for our families.

Contact your representatives and urge them to end the moratorium on oil drilling and drilling our own known oil reserves within our own country now.

Americans working together, rebuilding our own oil industry is not only good for job creation; it is the only viable way to end our dependence on foreign oil.

We will still perfect alternative energy sources and the free market will invent viable “Green Energy” sources. But in the meantime, we need jobs and the Oil and Gas Industry is sitting on hundreds of thousands of them that the government has long blocked.

"The automobile has improved the lives of hundreds of millions of people in remarkable ways. It has taken the mobility once reserved for aristocrats and democratized it, immensely expanding the choices that average people have regarding where to live and work. Instead of pushing a misguided political agenda to reduce car use, we should be celebrating automobility."

Loren Lomasky, University of Virginia philosophy professor noted in a study on the automobile, Autonomy and Automobility that

"the car is one of the three most liberating technologies ever developed."

The left has successfully manipulated government and public opinion into denying many of our freedoms by protest. It's our turn to stage protests to reinstate our freedoms that have been infringed upon by restrictive government policies.

So, some time during the day, just hop in your car September 22 and take a little drive. See the scenery, enjoy the view and celebrate the freedom we have to go where we wish, when we wish, while we still can.

With a multi-Billion dollar bridge including light rail being shoved down our throats in Clark County and Portland’s Mayor stating he would force us out of our cars, we must fight back if we wish to maintain our free movement.

Friday, September 17, 2010

On September 17, 1787, after weeks of often bitter debate by delegates of the States gathered at the Constitutional Convention at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Constitution of the United States, beginning with the words, “We, the People,” was signed by thirty-nine of the fifty-five delegates -- and the world was changed forever as America began its “great experiment” in self-government.

Never before had a constitution been established in the name of “the People” of a nation, rather than by and in the name of a monarch, a state, or other governmental power. Many of the most erudite thinkers of the so-called “Age of Enlightment,” did not believe that a constitutional republic of limited government “by, for, and of the people” could survive in a broad land containing a large and diverse population. America is still an ongoing experiment in liberty.

The Constitutional Convention had commenced on May 14, 1787, with a challenge to the conscience and integrity of delegates by George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army which had won the Revolutionary war, and who was elected President of the Constitutional Convention by unanimous vote.

“If to please the people, we offer what we ourselves disapprove, how can we afterward defend our work? Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the event is in the Hand of God,” said Washington, who would later become the First President of the United States and be regarded as “the Father of his country.”

The delegates were learned American patriots who had studied history deeply to meet the task of creating a constitution fit for a free people. Thomas Jefferson, who authored the Declaration of Independence but did not participate in the Constitutional Convention because he was in Paris representing the United States, wrote of the delegates with utmost respect as “a gathering of demigods.”

The Constitution the framers wrought in the name of “We, the People,” was one creating a government of limited, not expansive, or expanding, powers.

Rather, the “Bill of Rights,” contained in the First Ten Amendments, for which the efforts of James Madison earned him recognition as “the Father of the Constitution,” begins with five words limiting powers of the federal government over the people:

“Congress shall make no law…,” respecting an establishment of religion nor abridging the fundamental rights of free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, of press, of assembly, of petition for redress of grievance; rights which the Founding Fathers believed Americans were “endowed by their Creator,” as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, rights granted by the “hand of God,” not the hand of government.

The Ninth and Tenth Amendments reinforced the words “Congress shall make no law…” by mandating that the people and the states retained all rights not enumerated as possessed by the central government.

Never before in history had “We, the people,” had their natural rights so expressly protected by a constitution so expressly limiting the government as to its powers. By changing the relationship of the people and their government, limiting the power of government and making the retained rights of the people superior, the Founding Fathers changed the world, the people of which have ever after dreamed of the freedoms of Americans and looked to the Constitution, as a model for liberty in a constitutional republic.

The framers of the Constitution, the Founding Fathers of America, were faced with a great challenge, and they met it. The Constitution which they framed was finally ratified by all states by January 10, 1791. It has now endured for 223 years since it was signed on Sept. 17, 1787.

“What kind of government have you given us, Mr. Franklin,” an American woman asked Founding Father Benjamin Franklin at the close of the convention.

“A republic, Madam,” Ben Franklin replied. “If you can keep it.”

That, the keeping of the free constitutional republic that the Founding Fathers bequeathed to us, is our challenge in this age.

We owe a great debt to all those Founding Fathers and other Americans who came before us who preserved our freedom. We pay that debt by what we do to preserve freedom for those Americans who will come after us.

Rees Lloyd, a longtime civil rights lawyer formerly with the ACLU, American Legion Life Member and Judge Advocate Post 79; Past Commander and Scribe, District 21; and an unashamed American patriot.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Victoria Taft spoke of this yesterday on her KPAM 860 show and here is a video compilation of the encounter, including after the meeting when Vancouver, Washington City Council Member Jeanne Harris continued her verbal barrage against fellow Council Member Jeanne Stewart.

Clark County Conservative posted about the ethics complaint filed HERE last evening.

The Columbian has now run with two other Vancouver City Council Members, Jack Burkman and Larry Smith, having lodged an ethics complaint against Ms. Harris for her conduct Monday evening.

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

As I heard of the idea to burn copies of Islam’s Holy Book on September 11, put forth by Florida Pastor Terry Jones, visions of newsreel footage of the Nazi’s burning books raced through my head, followed by an old episode of the 1970’s TV show, the Walton’s, where John Boy rescued a Holy Bible written in German from the flames.

Those visions soon gave way to the thought, “what ignorant moron would propose such a thing?”

My thought is not born out of any profound acceptance of Islam or appreciation for their beliefs, just common sense knowing that such actions will serve only to inflame the very people our Troops are trying to win the hearts and minds of in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is such a great propaganda tool for the Taliban, Al Qaeda and other extremist groups, I am left wondering if Jones isn’t in their employ.

No, obviously he is not, but he sure isn’t thinking of the welfare of our Troops in harm’s way.

I see this as little more than a publicity gimmick for a marginal nobody to make a name for himself, not exactly what Christianity is supposed to be about. Jones even freely admits he has no knowledge of the Koran saying, “I have no experience with it whatsoever. I only know what the Bible says,” adding that God told him to burn the books.

“It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort. It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community.”

Jones agrees his plan could spark outrage and violence against our Troops and others, but plans to go ahead with his ill-conceived idea saying,

“America should quit apologizing for its actions and bowing to kings.”

It isn’t apologizing or bowing to show a little respect or tolerance to the people who we are also trying to encourage to stand up and fight the scourge from within their midst that plan on a world takeover by their own perverted view of their Holy Book.

It is aid and comfort to the enemy to supply the enemy to give them ample support, or even a propaganda tool to turn people against our Troops while fighting. Already protests have been held in Afghanistan and you can be sure more will follow elsewhere.

While Jones feels he has the first amendment right to do such a thing, it is a total tactical blunder to play into our enemies hands in such a cavalier fashion. In my estimation, if even one of our Troops is harmed or killed as a result of inflamed passions over this action, Jones should be tried for treason.

Since Jones claims to “only know what the Bible says,” I’d like to remind him of,

2 Timothy 2:24 “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,” and Acts 8:22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.”

He might also reflect on

Titus 3:1 “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.”

Pastor Jones, if this is the only way you can come up with the try to grow your 50 member Church, surely you will answer on Judgment Day for the blood you are about to cause to be spilled.

Saturday, September 04, 2010

I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised to see the left now crying how the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on our country really wasn’t all that bad. After all, since pretty much right after the collapse of the buildings, the anti-war left has been opposed to defending our nation and morons like Texas Congressman Ron Paul have been steadily blaming the attacks on America.

But this article from Newsweek, authored by a naturalized citizen from the nation of India does surprise me somewhat. Not that he is considered a far leftist, but in that originally, he was in support of the fight against terrorists.

The author, Fareed Zakaria penned a cover article shortly after the horrific attacks, “Why Do They Hate Us?” where he said,

“bin Laden and his followers are not an isolated cult like Aum Shinrikyo or the Branch Davidians or demented loners like Timothy McVeigh and the Unabomber. They come out of a culture that reinforces their hostility, distrust and hatred of the West--and of America in particular. This culture does not condone terrorism but fuels the fanaticism that is at its heart. To say that Al Qaeda is a fringe group may be reassuring, but it is false.”

In an April 2003 New York Magazine article on him, Zakaria said of the Iraq invasion,

“The place is so dysfunctional, any stirring of the pot is good. America’s involvement in the region is for the good.”

Yet, within 2 months he was penning articles opposing the very actions he supported and writing articles critical of President Bush criticizing him for the

“failure to conduct diplomacy and attempt, or even pretend to attempt, to build an international consensus for our action in the Gulf.”

By 2007, he adamantly opposed the very surge that has now brought Iraq some semblance of a beginning to self determination. In 2008, he admitted it had been a success.

“Nine years after 9/11, can anyone doubt that Al Qaeda is simply not that deadly a threat? Since that gruesome day in 2001, once governments everywhere began serious countermeasures, Osama bin Laden’s terror network has been unable to launch a single major attack on high-value targets in the United States and Europe. While it has inspired a few much smaller attacks by local jihadis, it has been unable to execute a single one itself. Today, Al Qaeda’s best hope is to find a troubled young man who has been radicalized over the Internet, and teach him to stuff his underwear with explosives.”

Zakaria impresses me that he would like for all of us to believe only Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden are behind radical Islamic terrorism, which is pure folly. Al Qaeda is but one radical group and perhaps with the coordinated attacks of September 11, 2001, the most successful.

Apparently he has forgotten, or ignores, the 2008 Mumbai attacks in his own native India “killing at least 173 people and wounding at least 308” by the Islamist militant terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Zakaria originally labeled himself a “conservative,” but it is clear he is now anything but. Troubling in seeking the basis for his views is in reading the New York magazine article linked above where his family is identified as “practicing Muslims” and that “He’s an Indian-born, Yale- and Harvard-educated Muslim.”

Is it possible that he is now in agreement with a take over of America by Islam? One could easily assume that with his article advocating the construction of the Ground Zero Mosque within the shadow of the rubble of the World Trade Center attacked on September 11, 2001 as he says,

“I believe we should promote Muslim moderates right here in America.”

I have my very serious doubts he would really call for the promotion of Christianity or Judaism “right here in America” by calling for the construction of a Cathedral or a Synagogue on the site.

While our First Amendment does grant us freedom of religion, it does not call for the promotion of any religion within America. It only gives individuals equal rights to all to practice their religion.

While Zakaria enjoys the freedom of speech granted by our constitution, he is becoming a dangerous person in that he seems to have joined the voices of those who wish to lull America back to sleep to the all too real threat of radical Islamist groups seeking world domination and the destruction of the west.

Hence, in reply to his comment on “overreaction to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks,” I’d like to recall for him,

Nov. 4, 1979 - Iran Hostage Crisis, After President Carter agreed to admit the Shah of Iran into the US, Iranian radicals seized the US Embassy in Tehran and took 66 American diplomats hostage. Thirteen hostages were soon released, but the remaining 53 were held until their release Jan. 20, 1981.

April 1983 - A suicide car bombing against the U.S. embassy in Beirut kills 63, including 17 Americans.

October 1983 - A suicide car bomb attack against the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut kills 241 servicemen. A simultaneous attack on a French base kills 58 paratroopers.

June 1985 - A TWA airliner is hijacked over the Mediterranean, the start of a two-week hostage ordeal. The last 39 passengers are eventually released in Damascus after being held in various locations in Beirut.

August 1985 - A car bomb at a U.S. military base in Frankfurt, Germany kills two and injures 20. A U.S. soldier murdered for his identity papers is found a day after the explosion.

November 1985 - Hijackers aboard an Egyptair flight kill one American. Egyptian commandos later storm the aircraft on the isle of Malta, and 60 people are killed.

December 1985 - Simultaneous suicide attacks are carried out against U.S. and Israeli check-in desks at Rome and Vienna international airports. 20 people are killed in the two attacks, including four terrorists.

April 5, 1986 - A bomb destroys the LaBelle discotheque in West Berlin. The disco was known to be frequented by U.S. servicemen. The attack kills one American and one German woman and wounds 150, including 44 Americans.

April 1986 - An explosion damages a TWA flight as it prepares to land in Athens, Greece. Four people are killed when they are sucked out of the aircraft.

Dec. 21, 1988 - A bomb destroys Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. All 259 people aboard the Boeing 747 are killed including 189 Americans, as are 11 people on the ground.

February 1993 - A bomb in a van explodes in the underground parking garage in New York's World Trade Center, killing six people and wounding 1,042.

Nov. 13, 1995 - A car-bomb in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia kills seven people, five of them American military and civilian advisers for National Guard training. The "Tigers of the Gulf," "Islamist Movement for Change," and "Fighting Advocates of God" claim responsibility.

June 25, 1996 - A bomb aboard a fuel truck explodes outside a U.S. air force installation in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. 19 U.S. military personnel are killed in the Khobar Towers housing facility, and 515 are wounded, including 240 Americans.

Aug. 7, 1998 - Terrorist bombs destroy the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In Nairobi, 12 Americans are among the 291 killed, and over 5,000 are wounded, including 6 Americans. In Dar es Salaam, one U.S. citizen is wounded among the 10 killed and 77 injured.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

David Castillo, subjected to dirty tactics, lies and smears from 4 County GOP’s in Southwest Washington may have been defeated in the primary, but he continues to speak out, countering ads recently released by his former adversary, Denny Heck from the Democratic Party.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Heck has released an ad playing to his base that I am sure will resonate well with them. While the establishment candidate sits around waiting for talking points to be provided, Castillo has posted on his new blog why Heck is wrong.

Castillo wrote in part,

“The other night I had the opportunity to see my first general election ad broadcast in the 3rd Congressional District. The ad was put out by Democrat Denny Heck. Notwithstanding the odd timing of the ad (the last week in August), I was struck by the complete lack of any true understanding of the problems confronting the people of the 3rd Congressional District.”

“Heck's ad (available here) was striking in its tone deafness. I was stunned that his first ad for the general election, the one that will presumably introduce him to voters, focused on Wall Street reform! Wall Street reform! Seriously, is there anyone in the country, outside of the progressive enclaves of Berkley, CA, or downtown Seattle, discussing Wall Street reform around the kitchen table? I highly doubt that. Especially when we are living in a country that has nearly 10% unemployment, and a district where unemployment is 12%. We are living in a country that has $14 trillion in debt. A country that, in 10 years, will spend more on debt service than China does on its defense budget. And, Denny Heck is focused on Wall Street reform.”

Throughout the campaign, David Castillo has maintained the race was never about him, but about correcting what has gone wrong and is hurting Southwest Washington. He never wavered in that and this post countering Heck’s ad is further proof.

After ensuring he was stunningly defeated by several dirty tactics, some from within GOP boards, only Castillo is speaking in opposition to Denny Heck’s campaign. The establishment candidate and doughboy are sitting in silence, ready to throw away an early 14 point lead in the polls.

The GOP’s that promoted the establishment candidate and engaged in the dirty tactics to ensure Castillo’s defeat also remain quiet, after releasing their own ad that was little more than handing the Democrats an effective FEC complaint on a silver platter.

Castillo could have easily and justifiably gone back to work and just got on with his life. Who could blame him after the ill treatment he received at the hands of the leaders of the party he sought to represent?

But, he chooses to remain engaged and counter the Democrats, even if it means electing the ditz that would not even acknowledge he was a good guy on a recent Victoria Taft interview when asked.

It will not do any good to write in Castillo’s name, other than to make your self feel better. FEC rules prevent his name being written in from being counted.

We are stuck with who we are stuck with to choose from, Tweedle Dem or Tweedle Dumb.

But, as far as I am concerned, there are at least 4 County GOP chairs that owe David Castillo a very public apology for their ill treatment as well as several Board Members from the Clark County GOP who knowingly engaged in such underhanded tactics against him.

David knows he was screwed over by these counties and the tactics initiated by supporters of two of his opponents.

And still, he remains the only one actually standing up to counter this misleading ad by Denny Heck.

Castillo not only shows he would have been the better choice. He shows he is also the better man.

Hang your heads in shame, Republicans. If this election is lost to the Democrats again, you have only your selves to blame.

Words from Heroes To Heroes. Do No Harm, Especially to Yourself

Subscribe To Right In A Left World

Followers

Contributors

Important Links

Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never, in nothing, great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. - Winston Churchill

“A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'” (Author unknown)

---------------------------------

I stood up, I showed up, I stepped forward.
I raised my right hand, I stood in the gap, I walked in the fire. I did not run, I did not hide, I did not dodge, I did not evade.

Consequently...

I have nothing to prove, no one to convince, those who matter, already know. Those who don't, never will.
(Author Unknown)

African-Americans, are you tired of being short-changed by the Democrats you keep voting for? Fed up with their empty promises while you stay poor? Can’t understand why your lives never improve? You will find answers at the National Black Republican Association